Apparatus for- burning- earth for plant beds



Nov. 4 1924.

R A. TAPP APPARATUS FOR BURNING EARTH FOR PLANT BEDS Filed April 4 1923 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

OFFICE.

RO'LLAN A. TAPE, 0F MADISON, ILLINOIS.

Application filed April 4,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROLLAN A. Terr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements. in Apparatus for Burning Earth for Plant Beds, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an apparatus for burning earth for plant beds.

An important object of the invention to provide an apparatus whereby burning of the beds is greatly facilitated. This burning, as at present practiced, is accomplished by heating the earth upon a heater which is fired by the use of wood or the like. In addition to being expensive as a fuel and diflicult to handle, wood requires a considerable space of time toburn the earth to the desired extent and for use for large beds which necessitates the use of a great number of burners.

An important object of this invention is to provide in combination a plurality of furnaces together with a heating means for the furnaces which is movable and may be readily shifted from one furnace to another, the furnaces being so constructed that when the desired degree of heat is attained the same may be closed and the heat retained therein until the earth has been burned to the desired. extent, the furnaces being fur-- t-hermore portable so that the earth may. be

' readily removed to the point at which it is desired to employ the same.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in. the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of furnace constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a perspective of the end plate employed with the furnace; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the heating element employed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral indicates a furnace of which a plurality are employed, although the number of furnaces so employed is greatly reduced as regards the number ordinarily necessary.r Each furnace 10 coin 1923. Serial No. 629,829.

prises an inner section 11 and an outer section 12, each section being substantially U shaped in cross section and being formed from sheet metal. The outer section 12 is of greater width and height than the inner section 11 and is arranged upon the ground with a bight portion thereof downwardly. The section 11 is arranged interiorly of the section 12 with a bight portion thereof uppermost, the sides of the section 11 being spaced from the adjacent sides of the section 12 to form a space 13 therebetween. The section 11 is held in such spaced relation to the section 12 by means of braces 14 secured. at spaced points to the upper surface of the bight portion 15 of the section 12 and to the lower ends of the sides of the section 11, and by means of handle portions 16 the central portions 17 of'which are secured to theupper surface of the bight portion of thesection 11 adjacent the ends thereofthese central portions extending between the adjacent faces of the sides of the section 12 and being provided at their ends with upstanding portions 18 which are secured to such sides, the upper ends of the upstanding portions being extended outwardly to form handles.

It will be seen that by the construction hereinbefore recited a tubular furnace 10 is provided in combination with an elongated casing, the walls of which are spaced from the furnace walls; and extend above the furnace walls. Means for closing the ends of the tubular furnace are provided. consisting of plates 20 of slightly greater length. and height than the open ends of this tube and adapted to be placed against these open ends to seal the same. In conjunction with furnaces such as described I employ any suitable movable burner apparatus. In the present instance I have disclosed this burning apparatus as including a source of power 21, by means of which an air pump 22 is operated, air from the pump being led to a storage tank 23 and from this tank to an oil tank 24. From the tank 24, by means of elongated hose connections 25, compressed air and oil are led to a burner 26 of a size permitting its insertion in the open end of a tubular furnace 10.

In the use of the device this burner is, after ignition, inserted in the; end of a fur nace upon which earth hasbeee heaped to fill the spaces 13" and tdfillthe space be tween the upper ends of the sides of the see tion 12 and the bight portion of; the. section 11 and covering this bight portion, heat being applied to the furnace until the desired temperature is attained when the burner is shifted to a second furnace and the ends of the first furnace closed. This operation is repeated until the furnaces are heated to the desired extent. The closing of the ends of the furnace causes the heat contained therein to be transmitted to the earth piled about the furnace and when this earth has attained the desired degree of heatthe furnace is bodily transported to the point where it is desired to employ the earth wherethe same is removed therefrom by inverting the furnace. I

It will be obvious that by the use of apparatus constructed in accordance with the foregoing the burning of plant beds will be greatly facilitated, the burning operation requiring considerably less time than with the ordinary apparatus and the heating results obtained being more uniform since a furnace of this character may be readily and rapidly heated by use of the burner and by closure of the ends thereof and the heat contained therein uniformly distributed. It will furthermore be obvious that this construction is capable of some change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of my invention and I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure, except as herein.- after claimed.

I claim l. A portable earth burning furnace, comprising a pair of elongated members U shaped in cross section, one of said members being of. greater width and height than the other of said members, the smaller member being inverted upon the bight portion of the other of the members and secured against movement wit-h relation thereto, ad-

jacent sides of said members being maintained in spaced relation.

2. A portable earthburning furnace, comprising a pair of elongated members U shaped in cross section, one of said members being of greater width and height than the other of said members, the smallermemher being inverted upon the bight portion of the other of the members and secured against movement with relation thereto, adjacent sides of said members being maintained in spaced relation, and members having intermediate portions'secured to thebight portion of the smaller member and extending to and abutting the side walls of the other member, the ends of said members being bent upwardly and outwardly to provide handles for transporting the furnace.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ROLLAN A. TAPP. 

